Skiers have an abundance of options when choosing the ideal location for a winter mountain adventure. Colorado boasts two major ski cities, Aspen and Vale, vying for travelers’ attention.
But right outside Vail sits an even better option for your ski vacation: Beaver Creek Resort.
Beaver Creek Resort
Beaver Creek Resort offers everything you want from a premier ski trip and then some. The small village bursts with activity, offering fine dining, the arts, entertainment, and more. Visit Colorado invited me to check out the resort to see what all the hype was about, and after visiting Aspen last spring, I was impressed with Beaver Creek’s commitment to making your ski trip memorable.
Here’s why Beaver Creek should be at the top of your list when planning a winter getaway.
The Lift Right Outside Your Door
Beaver Creek boasts the closest ski lift to a hotel in North America. The Strawberry Park Express ski lift rests just 26 feet away from the back door of the Osprey, one of Beaver Creek’s finest lodging options.
Grab your gear in their ski concierge room, hit the slopes, and ski back to enjoy a drink in the Osprey’s cozy lounge.
Heated Sidewalks
You don’t have to trudge through two feet of snow to get around Beaver Creek Village. The heated sidewalks melt the snow on impact, ensuring you can easily navigate the village regardless of weather.
The Vilar Performing Arts Center
Beaver Creek offers far more than skiing. While most ski resorts only offer restaurants and bars for your evening entertainment, Beaver Creek has the Vilar Performing Arts Center (VPAC)
Head to the VPAC after a fun-filled day on the slopes to catch a live show in a gorgeous theater. The VPAC offers a robust lineup of acts from various genres – from rock bands to ballet, magic shows to orchestra.
Dining Atop a Mountain
Take a snowcat-pulled sleigh ride up to the mountain for an evening of unforgettable culinary delights. Allies Cabin, nestled on the slopes, offers an exquisite array of dishes Executive Chef Jonathan Alonso prepares.
Try the honey nut squash ravioli, the perfect marriage of savory and sweet, tied up in softshell ravioli packets, or the beet salad garnished with creamy goat cheese and arugula. You can’t go wrong with their dishes, but you must save room for the divine bread pudding for dessert.
As Above, So Below
Most ski resorts have lodges atop the mountain, offering skiers a respite while out enjoying the sport. Beaver Creek has numerous lodges atop the mountain, ensuring you’ll have a place to rest no matter where your adventure takes you.
However, Beaver Creek also has a cozy lodge at the bottom of the central lift, where you can take a break before your next ascent. The wide range of ski lodges available at Beaver Creek ensures there’s room for everyone to rest.
Tasty Hot Beverages
What better way to enjoy a cold night than with a warm cider? Beaver Creek’s outdoor Tiki Bar, nestled right in the middle of the square, offers mugs of hot spiked cider to help you warm your bones.
Heat lamps surround the small outdoor patio, keeping you warm and cozy from the inside out.
Fun for Teenagers Too
Teenagers hate everything, but Beaver Creek has a trick up its sleeve to keep even the most angsty teen happy. Let them enjoy a night on their own at the Hawk’s Nest Cabin, a place designed with adolescents in mind.
The Hawk’s Nest Cabin offers craft mocktails, arcade games, charging stations, selfie spots, and plenty of space for teenagers to kick back and relax.
Childcare Options
Parents with younger kids can enjoy the slopes, too, as Beaver Creek offers onsite childcare options for guests. They take kids from ages 2-6, offering playrooms, children’s crafts, lunch, and other activities to keep your kids engaged while you explore the mountain.
Exceptional Food
You don’t need to take a sleigh ride up the mountain to enjoy the wide range of culinary delights available at Beaver Creek (though it’s something everyone should experience at least once!)
The resort offers numerous feasting options for every budget. For a fine dining experience at the bottom of the slope, head to Citrea, where you should order the Mezze platter to sample their wide range of delicious options. Families on a budget should visit Blue Moose Pizza or Coyote Café casual dining everyone will enjoy.
All the Ski Lessons
My biggest takeaway from enjoying a day on the slope is that if you’ve never skied before, you absolutely need a lesson.
Beaver Creek offers lessons for all ski levels, from ultra beginners who barely know what a ski is to experts looking to enhance their skills.
Try Skiing on Top of the Mountain
Most resorts with beginner slopes keep the new skiers confined to bunny slopes at the bottom of the mountain. Beaver Creek allows these brand-new skiers to take the gondola up and practice their skills on easy runs closer to the summit.
Heymeadow Park is the easiest run, but beginners can also take the Strawberry Express up McCoy Park, which offers a basin of easy slopes closer to the top of a mountain.
Runs for Everyone
Beaver Creek offers incredible skiing for every skill level. It provides an abundance of runs for ultra beginners, along with double black diamond runs with adrenaline-pumping cliff dives for experts.
The resort hosts the Birds of Prey ski races annually, proving that even professionals will find challenging slopes.
Ski Concierge Service
Renting your gear is the most annoying part of any ski trip, but Beaver Creek makes it easy. The resort offers Black Tie Ski Concierge service. They’ll meet you at your hotel with everything you need, helping you try things on and get the perfect fit. Most hotels offer a ski concierge room, allowing you to store your gear with them when not in use.
The ski-in, ski-out model makes the worst part of skiing an absolute breeze.
They Have Cookies
Every day at 3 pm sharp, the delightful chefs of Beaver Creek embark upon a journey to bring skiers a tasty treat. The chefs walk along the bottom of the slope near the Centennial Express ski lift with trays full of homemade chocolate chip cookies, offering them to every guest they encounter.
It’s a magical touch, adding that little “je ne sais quoi” to an already fantastic experience.
Signature Events
Beaver Creek hosts a plethora of signature events throughout the season. The resort kicks off the season with the Birds of Prey races in December and continues the fun with programming all year.
Enjoy Helmut Fricker, a beloved Swedish yodeler, entertaining guests throughout the season with accordion, yodeling, and singing, or check in on a Thursday to enjoy a glowstick show and fireworks.
All the Passionate People
Many ski resorts offer fine dining and spectacular slopes. Beaver Creek truly shines with the passionate people who live and work there. The friendly staff treats everyone like old friends they can’t wait to see.
Rachel Levitsky, Communications Manager at Beaver Creek, says, “This is our home, and we treat our guests like family we’re welcoming.” Everyone at Beaver Creek embodies the welcoming atmosphere and showcases their love for the mountain resort, from the servers at the restaurants to the Sleigh ride coordinator to the ski instructors. They all work together to make you feel at home.
Beaver Creek Awaits!
A fantastic adventure is waiting for you at Beaver Creek. Explore the mountain now and start planning your next ski trip.